Remember when fishing for dinner didn’t require thinking about how much mercury and other pollutants were in the water? Unfortunately, now we need to. And, we need to think about how to protect the environment moving forward.

By educating our kids about clean, renewable energy sources, we can instill change. As you study for your online teaching degree, consider how you will shape the future. Think about what type of world you want moving forward and how your kids will be part of it.

Man Can Make Energy

Cars are the most common form of getting from Point A to Point B. They’re what our kids are the most familiar with and, typically, are what our kids use most often. But, there are other ways to get around:

Biking
Walking
Kayaking

The Sun’s a Power PackThe sun’s been sending solar energy to us for billions of years. We can now collect and transform it into electricity through solar panels. The major drawback of solar energy is how undependable it is. We can’t control the weather.

There’s Power from the HarvestTrees and plants contain energy from the sun. This type of energy is called biomass. Biomass releases its energy when it’s burned. Unfortunately, it also can release harmful chemicals. And, it’s only renewable so long as we re-grow the amount we use.

There’s Energy within the EarthHeat resides beneath the earth’s surface. We call this geothermal energy. In most cases we access it in the form of mineral water bubbling to the earth’s surface. While this type of energy can be used in small doses, the consumer must be located near its source.

We Can Capture WindAs the sun heats and cools the earth’s surface, temperatures change drastically. This uneven heating moves the air. That movement – air in motion – is energy. We can collect this energy using windmills. Unfortunately, wind energy is similar to solar energy – it’s not very dependable.

We Can Utilize RiversRunning water, such as a river, creates hydro energy. It’s one of the cleanest, most reliable sources of renewable energy. The drawback is, it requires building a damn that not only blocks the water’s flow, but can keep wildlife from moving freely.

We Can Harness TidesThe moon and the sun create a gravitational pull on the ocean. We call this the tide. Similar to harnessing the wind’s energy through a windmill, the energy of the ocean’s tides can be harnessed using underwater turbines.

Turn off the LightsLeaving on lights unnecessarily wastes energy. Turn off the lights and conserve.

Be Litter ConsciousIt takes a lot of energy to produce things like plastic bags, candy wrappers and new clothes. Talk to your kids about where the things they use come from. Help them make conscious purchasing decisions.

Garbage is More Than GarbageAs organic matter, such as banana peels and apple cores, decomposes it gives off gasses called biogas. This gas can be gathered and burned to generate power.

As you’re thinking about your online teaching degree, ask yourself what kind of difference you want to make? Consider what kind of people you want your students to become and what kind of world you want them to live in.

Joe Whyte writes about renewable energy, digital marketing, online college and education resources. I have worked with thousands of online business’s, to grow and build more revenue.